sapper756

Found at Duddingston Golf Course

William & Brian Massey of Rosewell in Midlothian (Scotland). The Scottish father and son racing partnership of William and Brian Massey of Rosewell won ‘Best Young Bird in Show’ with their beautiful slatey pied cock, ‘Fram’. Very pleasing for me, because I’m her number one fan, William and Brian’s wonderful pied hen, ‘Olivia’ won class 23. What a hen! As I previously stated the annual BHW Blackpool Show weekend had to be cancelled in 2021 because of the ongoing Covid problem and had to go ‘online’. There was a strong Scottish dominance of the ‘On Line’ Show with both of the top awards going north of the border! The ten classes attracted an entry of 474 birds which were competing for outstanding prize money, in spite of a free entry. ‘Best in Show’ was won by Coutts Brothers of Scotland, with the champion blue cheque cock, ‘King Louie’. These lads from Aberdeenshire are really ‘setting them alight’ winning at all the National shows in recent seasons. ‘Best Opposite Sex’ also went to Scotland, with William and Brian Massey winning with their good pied hen, ‘Olivia’. I had some good fun, judging 68 Show Racer old hens in Class 2. I asked Brian how his sport had been with recent Covid problem and he told me, ‘the 2020 season saw us win five firsts racing, Old Bird Average, Yearling Derby, Young Bird Knockout and Combine Average. When racing I believe preventative is better than cure! Mixing with birds and stress I believe it’s a must to be treating for canker and respiratory every couple weeks alternative! Any major problems get test kit and swabs, UK and German vets we use for these. Of course due to Covid we did not show in 2020 other than the online pictures, but 2019 was a great season in the show pen with eight 1st prizes at the Open shows and awards from stage being ‘Best in Show’ and ‘Best Racer’ Ayr NR Show, ‘Best Opposite Sex’ Clydesdale Show, ‘Champion Young Racer’ Fife Show, ‘Champion Young Bird’ Scottish Homing Union Show and all these shows were Blackpool qualifiers with 400 plus birds competing in the show. My most thrilling experience in the sport would be the 2015 BHW ‘Show of the Year’ and winning three firsts for me and my dad and then seeing three firsts for my son, Craig, in the young fancier, meaning we’d came down from Scotland and six birds from our loft were on the ‘Specials’ table at Blackpool. That was a buzz! In terms or showing our racers from 2010 to 2019 and last season showing with Covid, we have won the following major prizes: six times ‘Best in Show’ awards, ‘Best Opposite Sex’ NEHU Show, three times ‘Champion Young Bird’ Scottish Homing Union Show, four times 1st prize BHW ‘Show of the Year’ Show. We won many first prizes and awards but that’s the major awards for us’ William and Brian race the roundabout system, but they lock the hens in the nest box and the only time they get out is for training flights or to race. They are boxed up with feed and water and normally keep an average of around eighteen cocks and twenty hens The training begins three weeks before racing begins and the old birds get as much in as the weather allows, trying to avoid Peregrines, but is mostly impossible, so they group train with the local lads from 12 to 45 miles. On one of these training flights they allow the yearlings to see each other when they return to try have the ‘penny dropped’ for the first race, that the rewards not just feed, but it’s the partners. The partners fly 63 to 360miles at club level and that’s their main goals at his time, but they working on trying to get some channel racing out some of the birds and that will be 440 to 560 miles! They have two lofts, a 20ft loft running along back garden and 25ft running back up the garden and they have nine sections in total. The lofts have double doors and traps on doors for entry! The partners don’t like any deep litter and prefer to just clean birds as daily as possible. When I asked Brian about his breeding pigeons and young birds he said, ‘we have 14 pair stock pigeons and they are paired right after the Blackpool show along with race team. The stock pigeons we house are Dave Zerk from Cardiff and birds are exceptional Gaston Van De Wouwer x Greenix and they’ve hit the ground running! We’ve also got the Gaston lines from Ian Parsons, Frans Zwols Formula one lofts, but the biggest impact pigeons we’ve had the last couple seasons have been from G. W. P. McAloney of Airdrie. We breed around 80 and weaned into the darkness loft and the clocks set for 9am light to 6pm dark, giving nine hours light. They are given vaccination for PMV / Herpes / Adino when weaning along with a canker tablet over throat. I spend the first few weeks never changing the water, only topping up and every odd day I add Apple Cider Vinegar to container! They are weaned onto Marmian Variamix with added blue peas and stay on this for all of the darkness. We basket train birds for a couple days and nights with drinkers on the sides and feed tray offered. Road training them begins a good 4 to 5 weeks before young bird racing commences and I start two miles then quickly up to eight miles and I’ll keep at that point until they beat me home two times then up distance to around 30 miles maximum! I try to train as often as time or weather allows, then at least three or four times with local group trainer allowing birds to learn to break. We leave them to do as please at loft and they have access to four nest boxes and four bowls on corners and whatever takes to them can lay. I might introduce old hens to section if I feel needed! Young birds are raced from 64 miles to 270 miles with some birds being stopped along the way depending on requirements we need for future’. Brian was born in Edinburgh in 1984, brought up in the small mining village of Rosewell Pigeons have always been in his garden with his father William having them, but his grandfather on his mother’s side was also a pigeon fancier and his mums brother is also a pigeon fancier and a previous member of the W. Massey & son partnership. Brian’s grandfather on his dads side didn’t have much to do with pigeons, but he did allow him to have a pigeon loft in his garden and Brian was in partnership with him as W. Massey and Grandson when he was 11 years old and to young to join a club as a sole member. He then I moved into keeping stock birds at granddad’s garden and joined in partnership with his father and uncle as W. B. Massey & John Mackie and this partnership lasted until around 2005 then it was William Massey & Son. Brian has had small breaks away from pigeons when he was around 19 for a couple years then he went to visit the Edinburgh International Show, as his dad informed him he had won a first. He went up on the Sunday to look and ended up leaving the show with a pair of pigeons he had purchased while there and that was me back in the hobby. In terms of racing, the best birds Brian had were the Wildermeesch birds from Ian Parsons, which were fantastic pigeons that brought great winning to the early years, but he still remember them well, especially a cock named ‘3023’. He won in the show pen in a class of over 100 birds and at that age the shows where what he enjoyed most! When he was still in school he used to pick the brain of Marshal Winter, who was a club member and raced under the name of M. D. Winter & Daughter. It was Marshal who sold Brian a pair of pigeons that took him from club shows to major Open shows and he had immediate success! Larkhall Pioneer was his first big Open success in 1999, when the two birds he bought won the Cock TW and Hen TW. These two beautiful pigeons were a pencil blue white flight cock and a blue chequer hen, and these birds were bred by a partnership in Cumbria named Todhunter and Ismay. Marshal then gave him a contact to Rodney Ismay and these are the birds that to this day are still in his pigeons now! Early years he was always more eyes on the show side for the hobby. At that age there was a fancier who sold corn from his garage named Robert “Bobby” Carruthers Bonnyrigg, whose birds always drew his attention and was lucky enough to be shown around his birds a couple occasions. The late, great Bobby was a superb distance flier from 500 to 600 miles and his old strains looked as awesome, as they did race! Brian used to enjoy the show racers condition and the fanciers Fitzpatrick, Fleming and Coutts always had superb pigeons on show at the Open events that he entered. Also a Mr John Bell, now John and Alice Bell, was one of the first fanciers he looked up to at the Open shows with the standard of their birds in the pens. He still remembers seeing those reds and thinking wow, beat this man and I’ll do plenty of winning and still true to this day! Beat John and Alice you are doing extremely well! Brian’s wife Jennifer only shows a small interest in the birds regarding results, but she’d never go near the loft. His step son Craig was keen on them after visiting a show and he did have a couple birds for a year, resulting in Brian entering them into BHW ‘Show of the Year’ young fancier for him and he won three first prizes and ‘Best Young Fancier’ award! Brian’s daughter, Olivia likes the birds and likes to touch, but she’s jumpy when they move and isn’t keen. His son, Archie is very keen, but only just turning two years old, he walks up to loft and enters them while in garden and seems to enjoy them. Brian feels social media for pigeon fanciers should be a great tool to promote the sport, but he mostly reads negativity from comments seen! On the other hand, web sites to find info are fantastic and he spends many hours watching YouTube on racing subject! The birds of prey problem is massive and yearly worsening and he doesn’t see the end game with it. Text & Photos by Keith Mott (May 2023)

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Please share with Basics members your club/Federation liberation time on this topic Good luck

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Good luck to all Basics members racing this weekend

I received a phone call from Jim Watson regarding my article on Johnny Dora of Arbroath who won the Rennes race. I asked Jim to put his memories down in an email and I would add it to my column. Jim’s daughter did so and here is his reply. ‘Hi Joe, After our wee blether on Monday I have noted down my recollection of Rennes Race 1961. I was about 15 years old at the time, and I was standing in my brother-in-law, Kim Reid (raced under C and G Reid) garden at Lingerwood Road in Newtongrange, watching and waiting for the Rennes birds. We saw 2 two birds crossing above us - one broke off and heading down into Fifth Street in Newtongrange, and Kim had told me to run round to see if Willie Thompson has timed in. When I got round to Willie’s to see if the ‘doo’ was one from Rennes - it was! His red chequer hen had been timed in; however, he was cursing as this was not his fancied bird for the race - never the less he had one home, and one of the first at that!! I can’t quite recall when the word came through, but we had news that there was a bird timed in Fife (which was wrong as it was Arbroath) and it had been confirmed as 1 st open - this was J.P Dora's and Willie Thompson was confirmed as 2 nd open. Joe, this was my first real experience of the excitement that ‘doo men’, felt getting a bird home and timed in from a race over 500 miles. I myself am 76 and the way that our sport is going, it’s good to be able to recall events like the above. I hope that this wee memory can invoke some other "auld timers" to share their thoughts with you. Keep up Column going and best wishes; yours in sport Jim Watson (J Watson & Daughter Newtongrange) Prince who ruled the Skies I received a note and article from The Northern Echo on the ‘Prince who ruled the Skies’ from Nick Hopton from Bishop Auckland in Co Durham, which he thought might be of interest in the column. Nick reads my column every week and says, ‘Keep up the Good Work yours in sport Nick’. Obviously, I could not use the contents of the article without asking permission from the Echo Journalist Chris Lloyd who compiled the story; WHICH I DID. Chris was very helpful and he even forwarded me the photographs he used in his column, for which I am eternally grateful. The story is of ‘The Prince of Rome’ who was bred and raced by Vester & Scurr of Tudhoe Colliery in Spennymoor. The stuffed pigeon had been found in a museum in the Midlands, but hopefully he will be coming back home. Before the First World War, this pigeon from Spennymoor became a celebrity for his endurance exploits which earned him the name; The Prince of Rome. Usually, he went by his ring number J5093 which is still on his leg in the storeroom in a Derby museum. The cock was bred by Henry Vester, Richard Scurr and his son William, the bird won the race from Oxford a distance of 202 miles in 1909 as a 3-year-old. The following year he was entered into the international arena, and won his first 456-mile race from Rennes in Brittany in France. In 1911 he was 1 st home from Arlon a distance of 475 miles from Arlon which is in south Belgium and the following year he repeated his feat from Rennes. Now he was ready for something special, the International Rome race. At 04-45am on the 29 th of June 1913 along with 1653 of the continents very best and bravest birds they were liberated in the Eternal City. Tragically, the birds flew straight into a terrible snowstorm over the Alps; some of the birds were blown fatally off course others were forced down into deep snowdrifts from which they couldn’t escape. But a hardy few just kept on flying…. Belgium was then the capital of pigeon racing. The first recorded race had been held there in 1818, and in the 1800s, the sport really took off, spreading across the channel to the working-class communities of Britain. But of 1200 Belgium pigeons released that day in Rome, only 62 made it home. And of the 106 English birds released only on appeared to have returned to his loft. He was NU1907DY168 whose arrival back in Derby on July 29 th was a full month after his release and he it was greeted with astonishment. He was a blue cock belonging to Charlie Hudson, a council lamplighter, and he had taken 31 days to cover the 1001 miles; As all the other British birds were feared lost, he was crowned the King of Rome. But then on August 18 th ; J 5093 DROPPED IN AT Messrs Vester and Scurr’s loft at Tudhoe. He had covered the 1093 miles 1186 yards in 51 days. Although he had flown further than the King of Rome; his average speed was slower so he was crowned the ‘Prince of Rome’. No other English pigeons have ever flown such long distances, and their achievements are only excelled by those of American birds, crowned the Homing Pigeon Annual of 1914. In October 1913, the two birds were honoured at the Manchester Flying Club’s annual dinner. Both the King of Rome and the Prince of Rome were present at Mr Hudson was presented with a silver trophy, the Rome Cup, a diploma of honour from the Brussels Society and a prize of £12. Messrs Vester and Scurr received a diploma from Belgium and £8. The Tudhoe trio also received many offers from their ‘Prince’, including from America, but they turned them all down. However, pigeon racing was a dangerous game- the King of Rome, for instance, had returned from 2 of its previous international races badly shot up- and so the Prince of Rome was retired from the skies and set to stud in Tudhoe. ‘Vester and Scurr’ will have a limited number of youngsters for disposal in 1914 from £1 each, said the Homing Pigeon Annual. When memories last told this story in 2010, with the help of many, with the help of many readers and the Tudhoe & Spennymoor Local History Society, that is where it ended with the Prince of Rome contently cooing in his Tudhoe coop. But now, amazing work in Derby Historian, writer and all-round enthusiast Kal Singh Dhindsa has unearthed the taxidermized body of the Prince in the Storeroom of Derby Museum. In Derby, the King of Rome is, rightly, well known. When he died, Mr Hudson had his body stuffed and, in 1946, he was presented it to his local museum where it has been on display ever since. Folk musician Dave Sudbury wrote a song about the King’s exploits which has been recorded by June Tabor and the Unthanks. Apparently, in Lionel Messi’s biography, the Argentinian who some regard as the ‘Greatest Footballer’ of all time; say he was inspired by the song and the story to spread his wings. Kal has recently placed a plaque in a pub in Derby near the home of Mr Hudson to commemorate the ‘King of Rome’. ‘He was a plucky pigeon from a poor area of Derby’ he says. ‘It’s quite incredible to think. Stories like these that inspire people are really important. In the museum storeroom, Kal discovered a second pigeon, the ‘Prince of Rome’, that was donated at the same time as the King with information which proves that it is the Spennymoor bird- it even has the J5039 tag still on its leg. While researching, I came across your (Memories) story of the Price of Rome says Kal. ‘The King of Rome is always son show but the Prince of Rome isn’t. The King is highly regarded; the Prince should be too. In my book, the King came back first in the quickest time but the Prince came back 31 days longer and travelled those extra miles to the North East, so it should be recognised as one of the ‘Greatest Pigeons Ever’. ‘It would be great if we could return the Prince of Rome back to the North East. I would love to think that kids would be inspired by the story of the greatest of them ALL’. Kal’s census research shows that Mr Vester and Mr Scurr lived in Attwood Terrace, and he is coming up late this month to see where a plaque commemorating the Prince might me placed. The Prince’s story is also going to be included in a feather length film that is being make by Nova Mundi Studios. Local film makers Daniel John Williams, Marc de Launay and Ian Paine have been following Redcar fanciers for 3 years for this film, ‘about love, passion and pigeons.’ The working title of the film is ‘Pigeon Men, and a beautiful trailer can be seen at www.pigoenmen.com although by the time it is released later this year it will simply be Home. But there should be a plaque to the pigeon that held the British distance record be placed? And do you have a connection to Henry Vester or Richard and William Scurr, or can you tell us anything more about the Prince of Rome is so can you email chris.Boyd@nne.co.uk The longest ever flight by a homing pigeon seems to have taken place in Xinjiang region of China in 2005; when a bird called ‘Creation Invincible’ covered 4.308 km (2677 miles) in 83 days. When the Prince of Rome landed on August 18 1913, it was the most famous thing to fly into Tudhoe., but that changed on December 24; when a German Doodlebug hit the cricket club, Doodlebugs were V1 flying bombs with engines that were sent off from the Continent. When the engine round out of fuel, the missile would drop to the ground and explode. Tudhoe was hit by the Doodlebug that travelled the furthest north. Chris also sent me some photographs from Sunday’s ceremony showing The Plaque, descendants from the Vester and Scurr families, plus Kal Singh Dhindsa and the Mayor of Spennymoor with the plaque. Also, Kal releasing a dark checker from outside the pub with the help of pigeon man Dave Brierley of Redcar. My thanks to Chris Lloyd, Kal Singh Dhindsa and nor forgetting Nick who informed me and sent the cutting out of the Northern Echo. Internet Story Margaret was reading a story on the Internet which was as follows; A man was shot dead; when 3 people in dispute with rival pigeon racers in Portugal. The 4 men were wating for their pigeons to return after a race but they were also arguing about an illegal veggie garden. Portuguese newspaper said, ‘That one a 60-year-old, shot the other 3 before turning the gun on himself as police arrived. The victims were aged 47 & 65 and the 3 rd hasn’t been made public. Portugal has restriction gun laws but firearms are legal for hunting. We will all have been in dispute at some time in our lives in pigeon clubs or in pubs regarding pigeons or their politics, BUT, thankfully it has never come to the above. Results Arbroath RP Club News from Charlie Cameron who writes; From the Wooler 2 result flown on 1 st May 6 members sent 139 birds, liberated at 07-30am. Charlie and his son Glen took the first 4 places plus 6 th position. The winner was doing a velocity of 1174 with P Cameron winning 5 th place. Les McKay wins 7 th & 8 th places with Graham McKenzie in 9 th spot. Kingdom Racing Pigeon Association News from Pete Penman who wrote ‘Hi Joe, the KRPA 2 nd old bird race was from Alnwick; with the 449 birds liberated along with the Fife federation at 8 am on Monday the 1 st of May (as the weekend weather was rather poor). Taking the first nine places is Coaltown of Balgonie’s Gary Hall who had three birds drop together, his first bird is a yearling chequer Gaby Vandenabeele hen, then another yearling blue Vandenabeele cock. next was a home bred chequer cock all on roundabout. Davie Whyte won St. Serfs; Lou Mitchel took the honours at Rosyth with Tom Berwick leading the way at Leuchars. Fife Federation News from Geordie Todd who forwarded the Alnwick federation and section winners which are as follows; The federation had a convoy of 1769 birds liberated at 8am into a west wind. The federation top 10 are as follows; Brian Kinnear of Kennoway tops the federation with a 2-year-old recording a velocity of 1157; Brian is also 7 th federation. John Harcus of St Andrews club wins 2 nd 8 th 9 th & 10 th places. With J D Armour of Methilhaven club winning 4 th 5 th & 6 th places. Centre Section had Methilhaven club sending 242 birds; Kennoway 341 birds; The section is won by Kennoway members with Brian Kinnear taking the first 2 positions; with B Chalmers in 3 rd 4 th & 6 th with Sean Diamond in 5 th place. East Section had St Andrews club sending 160 birds; with Methilhaven sending 242 birds. John Harcus of St Andrews wins 1 st & 6 th places; with Methilhaven’s Clark & son wins 2 nd place followed by J D Armour who wins 3 rd 4 th & 5 th positions. West Section had Lochgelly sending 216 birds; Novar 55 birds; Crossgates 311 birds & Dunfermline 305 birds. Novar club Erskine & son are 1 st & 3 rd section with Hynd & son of Crossgates club winning 2 nd & 6 th spots. Eddie McWilliams of Dunfermline is 3 rd & 4 th with J Coltart senior of Lochgelly club winning 5 th spot. Space Weather The Space Weather 27-day Outlook Table as follows; UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2023 May 01 155 12 4 2023 May 02 150 15 4 2023 May 03 145 12 4 2023 May 04 145 8 3 2023 May 05 135 5 2 2023 May 06 135 12 4 2023 May 07 135 10 3 2023 May 08 140 5 2 2023 May 09 140 5 2 2023 May 10 145 5 2 2023 May 11 150 8 3 2023 May 12 160 8 3 2023 May 13 160 5 2 2023 May 14 160 5 2 2023 May 15 160 5 2 2023 May 16 155 5 2 2023 May 17 150 5 2 2023 May 18 150 5 2 2023 May 19 150 5 2 2023 May 20 145 5 2 2023 May 21 145 5 2 2023 May 22 140 5 2 2023 May 23 140 12 4 2023 May 24 140 20 4 2023 May 25 140 15 4 2023 May 26 145 15 4 2023 May 27 145 8 3 Most Saturdays look good so far on this chart. Joe’s Joke A Cup of Tea One day my mother was out, and my dad was in charge of me. I was maybe 2 ½ years old. Someone had given me a little 'tea set' as a gift, and it was one of my favourite toys. Daddy was in the living room engrossed in the evening news when I brought him a little cup of 'tea', which was just water. After several cups of tea and lots of praise for such yummy tea, my mum came home. My dad made her wait in the living room to watch me bring him a cup of tea, because it was 'just the cutest thing!' Mum waited, and sure enough, here I came down the hall with a cup of tea for Daddy; and she watched him drink it up. Then she said, (as only a mother would know), "'Did it ever occur to you that the only place she can reach to get water is the toilet?" Please continue to keep the news flowing; to Joe Murphy Mystical Rose Cottage 2 Flutorum Avenue Thornton by Kirkcaldy KY1 4BD or phone 01592 770331 or Email to joejmurphy1@gmail.com REMEMBER THE J IN THE MIDDLE or log onto www.elimarpigeons.com www.fancierchat.co.uk www.pigeon-chat.co.uk who wish my weekly contribution portfolio on pigeon topics from Scotland © Compiled by Joe Murphy

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I would like to thank the Fife Federation for their very kind donation towards the ongoing costs of running Pigeon Basics, in appreciation of Basics enabling the Federation to hold a Young Bird Sale on site. this is very much appreciated, thank you.

There is a pigeon club in Methilhill, why don't you get in touch with them regarding your request for a hen?

Just saw this on Facebook and thought I'd share it with Basics members

Good luck Fife fanciers

Weather permitting, where are you racing from this weekend? Which Club/Federation? Good luck in advance

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I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ryan Hay for his kind Donation, for advertising his Federation sale on Basics, this will go towards the ongoing running costs of Pigeon Basics

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Just saw this on Facebook I assume the SU should come before the 22

https://www.oneloftrace.live/lofts/235?tab=fanciers

https://fb.watch/koyMc2b-W1/